Four suspects charged in deadly Las Cruces shooting

Las Cruces police arrested two women and two men suspected in a deadly shooting Sunday evening that claimed the life of 29-year-old Raymond Hernandez.

“Knowing that all four of them are in custody and they’re there with no bond, I’m happy,” Garay said, adding, “I hope they never see another day of light again. I hope that they don’t ever get to be with their families again.”

Police charged Alexis Hernandez, 25; Destiny Lara, 24; Gabriel Ortiz, 32; and 18-year-old Noel Salazar with Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Tampering with Evidence and Shooting at or from a Motor Vehicle.

Police said Raymond Hernandez was shot three times shortly after 10:30 p.m. on August 26, 2018 near the corner of Bowman Avenue and Martinez Street.

Officers responding to the shots fired call arrived to find Raymond Hernandez with at least one gunshot wound to his torso, police said in a news release. The victim was transported to Mountainview Regional Medical Center and pronounced dead shortly after arrival, police added.

Investigators located 13 several spent 9mm shell casings in the area where Raymond Hernandez was located. They believe Alexis Hernandez and Raymond Hernandez were in an “on-again and off-again” relationship. They say the two had an ongoing dispute, according to court records.

“They weren’t even in a relationship at that time,” Garay said. “My brother and his wife were going to work things out. He just didn’t want nothing to do with her anymore. She just couldn’t accept it, you know?”​

Relatives of the victim told ABC-7 he was a loving husband and father.

“I don’t want to accept that he’s gone, because he didn’t deserve it,” said Stephanie Garay, who identified herself as his sister. “It’s not fair.”

On Sunday, police say Alexis and Raymond Hernandez were arguing with each other. According to records, Ortiz got on the phone and then talked about fighting Raymond Hernandez.

A witness told police a white Kia Optima was seen leaving the scene of the shooting. Police located the vehicle at a residence on the 2600 block of Dr. King Way. Alexis Hernandez, Ortiz and Salazar were taken into custody at that residence.

Police located Lara on Monday at another address in Las Cruces. Lara told investigators she became intoxicated prior to the dispute and passed out in the back seat, according to records. She said she did “not know anything that had happened.”

Investigators executed a search warrant Monday on the home on Dr. King Way and located a handgun believed to be used in the shooting. They said they recovered the 9mm gun in the washing machine covered with a wet towel.

Officers also say they discovered multiple boxes of 9mm ammunition in Alexis Hernandez’s vehicle and her home.

All four suspects will be booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where they will be held without bond, initially.

“She got touched by an angel,” Garay said. “Getting caught by the cops, before anybody else got a hold of her.”

Garay told ABC-7 exactly what she would tell the defendants, if she saw them face-to-face.

“Why?” she said. “Why would you think it was okay to do what you did? Why would you even consider taking my brother’s life? Was it really that personal to you?

She said the family will have a car wash on Saturday and Sunday at the AutoZone on Picacho.

You can also support the family’s funeral expenses, you can visit this GoFundMe link.